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CRAMP Rapid Assessment. Sediment Composition
Approximately 500 cm3 of sediment are collected by hand along the transect at each site and secured in Fisher brand 9x18 cm sample bags. Sediment grain-size and composition are determined using standard sieving procedures after air drying for two weeks (Parker 1983; McManus 1988; Craft et al. 1991). To determine the inorganic-organic carbon fraction, 20 g of bulk sediment was finely ground using a mortar and pestle. Subsamples are taken from each replicate to determine variability. Samples are then oven dried for 10 h at 100 oC to remove moisture, placed in a desiccator and massed. To remove the organic fraction, 10 g are burned in a muffle furnace for 12 h at 500 oC (LOI500), placed in a desiccator and massed (Parker 1983; Craft et al. 1991). For removal of carbonate material, samples are placed in a muffle furnace for 2 h at 1000 oC (LOI1000), cooled in a desiccator and massed (Craft et al. 1991). The percent organic material and the carbonate fraction are calculated from these data.
References:
Craft, C.B., Seneca, E.B. and Broome, S.W. 1991. Loss on ignition and Kjeldahl digestion for estimating organic carbon and total nitrogen in estuarine marsh soils: Calibration with dry combustion. Estuaries 14:175-179.
McManus, J. 1988. Grain size determination and interpretation. In: Techniques in Sedimentology, Tucker, M., ed. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications, pp 63-85.
Parker, J. G. 1983. A comparison of methods used for the measurement of organic matter in marine sediment. Chemical Ecology 1:201-210.
Last Update: 04/21/2008
By: Lea Hollingsworth
Hawai‘i Coral Reef Assessment & Monitoring Program
Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology
P.O. Box 1346
Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744
808-236-7440 phone
808-236-7443 fax
email: jokiel@hawaii.edu